An API for Tailwind?
As someone who really loves how APIs make everything programmable, naturally I'm very interested in being able to program my garage door. I can imagine two levels--one that's just event notification, a webhook that calls out to a URL that I can configure, and two, the ability to query the door state and trigger open/close.
I realize that there is a lot to consider when opening up an API, but this also seems like it has potential to be a differentiating feature. It doesn't hurt that the DIY-inclined are often a pretty vocal bunch that can really help with word of mouth.
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Official comment
Our public APIs are done. We are testing them as well as doing some penetration testing. Once we release them our users will be able to create integrations for anything they want :)
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I've brought up the API issue in the past and I know Scott had been doing some work around Homekit, but I'd also love some sort of API, even in a beta/non-supported version. One of the reasons I selected (and continue to love) Tailwind is the security around the presence detection for auto-open and that it requires both phone and car and not just phone alone. I would love to be able to extend this presence detection to my home automation setup (currently using Home Assistant).
While I could use my phone location alone to automate many home features, I'm a little too paranoid to use just the phone to enable/disable alarm system, lock/unlock doors, etc. Having the additional security of the vehicle+phone would alleviate many of my concerns.
I also have a bedtime automation that shuts down lights, home theater, etc. and does a security check on doors, alarm, etc. But I currently can't check/verify garage door state. I know Tailwind has night mode, but that's a separate process and a great backup security option, but I also have to open the Tailwind app on my phone to verify door status and cannot view it on the overall security display of my home automation panel.
What I've resorted to at this point is to add a Wyze camera in the garage aimed at the garage door. I can stream this image to my security display and can verify door status. But this isn't really the what I'd prefer and still doesn't offer any presence detection automation. I'm considering adding a Raspberry Pi or Arduino connected to the magnetic sensor to get the desired automation. But that would require more wiring and an additional power source in the garage that is impractical in my situation.
Don't get me wrong... I love the Tailwind system and Scott and the team have been outstanding in responding to issues, pushing regular updates and adding features. I just wanted to throw out my support for adding an API to the feature request list.
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Scott - do you guys have any update on an API that could be consumed by smart home integrations like Hubitat? I am looking to move to Tailwind (from Linear) and also move to using Hubitat. But as far as I can tell, there is no way for the state of the door to be communicated to or controlled by the hub.
Appreciate just some direction, if its something you're working on, not planning on, etc. Thanks!
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Scott,
Great news on the API!!! I know a lot of us have been waiting... and are extremely excited... about this possibility. As I mentioned in another post, I've already programmed a second ESP32 with MQTT and even ordered a second Tailwind door switch kit to try to implement this myself. But I've yet to install it and will now wait pending the release of your API, hoping to avoid the extra wiring and power supply.
Sorry to be a pain... but any hints on the API at this point? MQTT, webhooks, JSON??? Will it just report door status or also offer open/close control? For me, the status is primary and I wouldn't want any compromise on the security regarding the open/close control. But I'll take whatever you are offering!
And I know you are wisely going though penetration testing. But is there an estimated time frame on release? I've been corresponding with numerous Home Assistant users around this topic and would like to be able to share that an automation API is coming soon!
Thanks again for all your work... and the willingness to listen to your users regarding new features! Now... about that snooze feature on auto-close... :)
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IT'S DONE! Not quite released yet, but it's DONE!
We haven't completed the testing, and the documentation still needs some tweaking. I'll put a post in this thread (well, I will TRY to remember to post here - I did turn 50 recently so I hope I don't forget!).
We need some beta testers to help us poke holes in it and see where we messed up :)
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Hi Scott,
Great news! I'd be more than happy to help test and provide feedback. I'm utilizing Home Assistant and a have multitude of other integrated devices. I interface with quite a few others in the HA community, so if there's something I can't quite figure out, I'm sure others would be willing to give me some pointers.
Just let me know what I need to do to provide any sort of helpful feedback.
Steve
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Ryan, Brian, and anyone else - if you're interested in beta testing the APIs please ping me at scottr@gotailwind.com.
We are currently wrapping up fixing a bug that was caused by a recent iOS update, but that will be completed in the next couple days and we can get back to working the kinks out of the public APIs. Currently it is still cloud based FYI. I know - lots of people want local. Currently it's just easier to get something pushed out that's cloud based. Baby steps - our team is surprisingly small given how complicated Tailwind is.
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Hey Steve Herriford, I asked to join the API and am running home assistant. I don't have tailwind set up in my garage just yet, but when I do, I'd happily work with you on the home assistant integration. Have you begun work on it?
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Hey Scott Riesebosch -- I shot you an email asking for access. My Tailwind kit for my 2-car garage is on the way to my house as we speak. I'm very interested in testing out the APIs.
Cheers!
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James,
Sure. Just send me an email at scottr@gotailwind.com with your Skype ID and I'll add you to the group discussing the APIs.
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Hi J,
I've been working with Scott and the folks at Tailwind on the beta version of the API. I've developed a Tailwind2MQTT bridge and have it integrated into Home Assistant. This is still in the beta stage at this point (and subject to changes down the road). But if you are comfortable with a little DIY and can flash Arduino code to an ESP8266 (like the Wemos D1 Mini), then the bridge works great. I'm able to get door status and door control via Home Assistant and have been using it reliably for a little over 3 months now. If you're interested, see the link below. You can use the discussions area there if you have any additional questions or need any assistance. The goal is to eventually get this into HACS or a native Home Assistant integration without the bridge, but I'm looking for assistance on the Python side of things to make that happen. Link: https://github.com/Resinchem/Tailwind2MQTT/wiki
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In addition to Steve's hard work (thank you Steve!!!), it is my understanding that if you have the beta firmware, Home Assistant will just see the Tailwind automatically because Home Assistant is compatible with Apple HomeKit. One user said he just needed to reboot HA, but other than that it should just work.
Our HomeKit firmware is in the final stages and it has been a long, expensive, and frustrating experience easily taking more than 20X the time and cost of all the other integrations combined. But I said we were going to get it done and we are almost there. But you can have it right now by emailing support@gotailwind.com and requesting the beta.
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Scott is correct. Sorry, I should have mentioned that. But I'm not a HomeKit user, so that wasn't a viable option for me. So, if you do have HomeKit and the HomeKit (or HomeKit controller) integration installed in Home Assistant, it should work without the use of my MQTT bridge or any other additional hardware.
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OK... wanted to follow up here... as after a little research, I have found that I can add Tailwind via the Home Assistant HomeKit controller integration WITHOUT actually having HomeKit, basically rendering my MQTT bridge obsolete/unneeded. For the HA crowd, here's all I had to do to get Tailwind into Home Assistant as a cover entity:
I added the following to configuration.yaml:
zeroconf:
I then restarted Home Assistant (since a change to config.yaml requires this). I then went to Integrations and added the HomeKit Controller as a new integration. As soon as I did this, I was prompted to add Tailwind. It was really that simple. Since I only have one door attached, I only got a single cover entity. I'm guessing if I had two doors attached, I would get two entities. But I obviously can't test this.
So, while my bridge does bring back a few more sensors for things like connection status and the raw API code, these really aren't needed... nor is the bridge. I will be updating my Github repo to reflect this new information (and how to use the HomeKit controller instead). Just wanted to set the record straight that you CAN use the HomeKit controller option in HA without actually having HomeKit. Sorry for my misleading information.
I've added instructions for using the HomeKit controller integration to my bridge Github wiki and it can be found here: https://github.com/Resinchem/Tailwind2MQTT/wiki/Using-HomeKit-Controller-Integration
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I can confirm what Scott and Steve have mentioned about Tailwind's HomeKit support working seamlessly with Home Assistant. After my Tailwind device was updated with the beta firmware, Home Assistant informed me that it had found a new "device". It auto-discovered the Tailwind device as a HomeKit accessory integration. At first, I ignored the prompting to add this new integration since I don't use HomeKit at all and wasn't sure it would work stand alone. However, I gave it a try yesterday and it's working great. The integration created a device and two cover entities (one for each of my doors).
The only issue I currently have is that with the beta firmware, it appears that I only get notifications on my Android phone if I have the "Verbal notification" checked. For a very long time now, I have had that option unchecked because I just want the standard notification. The notification about the firmware being updated was the last one I received until, after a lot of troubleshooting, I checked the "Verbal notification" box and then I started receiving notifications again. Unchecking it later once again stopped the notifications from ever appearing. -
Hi Scott,
Great to hear that the firmware update's in the final stages - are you able to share an ETA / release timeline? I'm eager to finally get my iQ3 integrated with Home Assistant - but if the update's imminent, I'm happy to wait for the release rather than requesting the beta firmware.
If you're able to share API (and autodiscovery) documentation/details with me, I'd also be keen to work on a direct Home Assistant integration, as the HomeKit Controller approach sounds like more of a "happy accident" than an optimal integration (and while Steve's MQTT bridge looks like a decent non-HomeKit option, a native integration would be even better).
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Hi Paul,
The HomeKit timeline is entirely in Apple's hands, as well as their appointed 3rd party test lab. At this point I can only say that we've completed and passed most of the requirements. There are just a couple things left that we need signed off. Unless something unexpected comes up, there is no further development for us to do. It's done. Now it's just a case of getting the last few boxes checked at the lab and with Apple.
If you email us at support@gotailwind.com we can send you the documentation for sure.
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Hi Paul,
I agree. It was always my intent to eventually get a native integration into Home Assistant... either via an "official" integration, or at least via HACS. But Python isn't my strength and I quickly got lost in the developer docs on all the requirements to make a true native integration. It has remained on my list, but other things keep jumping in the way. I developed the MQTT bridge because, well I was more comfortable with Arduino/C++ and I like the additional control options and transparency I get via MQTT (I'm a YAML guy, and have yet to use the UI automations)... and I didn't realize that I did not actually need Homekit to use the Homekit controller integration. Actually, once I added that integration, Tailwind just popped right up in HA and it was easy to add. All that is to say that if you do go down the path of a native integration, I'd be happy to contribute, test or provide anything else you might find helpful.
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Thanks for your prompt replies, Scott and Steve.
I know the pain of waiting for external approval all too well - fingers crossed all goes smoothly and that it doesn't take too much longer! I've flicked an email to support; I look forward to seeing the documentation so that I can get stuck in.
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Jeff,
Thanks! I've had Tailwind for about 2 1/2 years now and it's been great... but I always wanted the Home Assistant integration, which we now have (and hopefully everyone will have soon). I have it integrated both via my MQTT bridge and via the Homekit controller integration and both work equally well, but mine obviously requires an extra piece of hardware. I know that both Scott and I would love to see an official integration into Home Assistant, but I get lost in the HA developer docs and the requirements to create an integration (Python coding aside).
You can see my code in my Github repositiory: https://github.com/Resinchem/Tailwind2MQTT
Documentation is included in the wiki and there is a discussion area as well if you have any question, thoughts or ways to for me to help out with a Python integration.
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Hi Jeff,
Scott has sent me the API documentation, so I'll be working on a first cut of a Home Assistant integration over the weekend. Once I've got something to share, I'll post a link here - getting more eyes on it (and testing from Tailwind beta firmware users, when it's ready for that) would definitely be welcome. It'll initially be a custom component you can drop in to your Home Assistant installation, but once everything's finalised (including the firmware), submission for inclusion in HA should be pretty trivial.
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